JP3489302B2 - Chromatographic analysis system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a measurement system for chromatographic analysis. 2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional liquid chromatograph analysis system. The system includes an analyzer 1, a recorder 2, and a data processor 3. The analyzer 1 includes units of a liquid feed pump 11, an injector 12, a column 13, a detector 14, and a controller 15. The controller 15 has an operation panel for the operator to set analysis conditions and the like, and a control unit composed of a microcomputer and the like. The microcomputer 15 stores control therein according to the set analysis conditions and the like. The processing operation is instructed to the other units according to the program. Under control of the controller 15, each unit such as the liquid feed pump 11 performs a necessary processing operation by a microcomputer provided in each unit according to an internal control program. Specifically, the controller 15 instructs, for example, the start and stop timings of the pump and the flow rate of the mobile phase to the liquid sending pump 11.
A control sequence that gives the specified flow rate, for example, the number of reciprocations of the plunger per unit time, is selected and the mechanism is controlled. In the above configuration, the control program provided in each unit of the analysis unit 1 is usually stored in a read-only memory (ROM) and can be exchanged on a circuit board of each unit. Incorporated in In this ROM, a basic control program is stored in advance at the time of factory shipment or the like. However, in general, it is necessary to modify or update the control program even after delivery to the customer. Specifically, for example, fixing bugs in control programs, introducing new control sequences to improve performance,
This is a case where a new function such as a failure self-diagnosis function is added. Conventionally, in order to cope with such correction or update of the control program, the ROM of each unit of the analysis unit 1 has been exchanged. However, for that purpose, an operation that requires labor and time, such as opening the housing of each unit and pulling out the substrate, is required. [0004] In particular, in chromatographic analysis, the result of analysis under the same conditions as a reference chromatogram as a reference is closely compared with the reference chromatogram to identify components. Grams are provided one after another. When a control program for realizing the analysis conditions of the reference chromatogram is not incorporated in the analyzer 1, it is necessary to update the control program first. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a chromatographic analysis system that can easily upgrade a control program. [0006] The chromatographic analysis system according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, has the following features. A) It is rewritable and retains information even when the main power supply is cut off. A plurality of types of units each including a first storage unit for obtaining and performing an analysis operation in cooperation with each other; b) a data processing unit including a second storage unit which is constantly updated to the latest information; and c) a plurality of types of units. A communication line capable of mutually transmitting information between the unit and the data processing unit, and all of the plurality of types of units are stored in the first storage unit of each unit at a predetermined time. Detecting a version difference between the information and the information stored in the second storage means, and transmitting the information stored in the second storage means to the unit via the communication line if the two are different; And the said It is characterized by rewriting the information in the storage means. [0007] A chromatographic analysis system according to the present invention includes, as an analysis unit, a liquid feed pump, an injector, a column, a detector, and a control unit for comprehensively controlling these units. . As the first storage means included in each of these units, specifically, a flash memory which can be electrically written and erased and does not require a backup power supply, or a random access memory (RAM which can hold information by the backup power supply) ) Etc. can be used. A control program for controlling at least the operation of the unit is stored as information in the first storage unit and the second storage unit in the data processing unit. Prior to the chromatographic analysis operation, the data processing unit reads out the version number of the control program from the first storage unit in each unit via a communication line and compares it with the version number stored in the second storage unit. I do.
If the version of the control program is older than that of the data processing unit, the second
The control program stored in the storage means is transmitted to the unit. The unit rewrites the control program in the first storage means to a new version.
Such a process of querying and updating the version of the control program is performed, for example, every time the system is powered on, so that the analysis work can always be performed according to the latest control program. According to the chromatographic analysis system of the present invention, a chromatographic analysis operation can always be performed using the latest control program, and the version of the control program can be updated. Since it is only necessary to change the control program stored in the data processing unit, the labor and time required for ROM exchange and the like can be greatly reduced. An embodiment of a chromatographic analysis system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of this chromatographic analysis system, FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of a control unit in each unit of the analysis unit in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of a data processing unit in FIG. It is a processing flowchart of inquiry and update of a control program in this system. In the chromatographic analysis system of this embodiment, the data processing unit 3 and the liquid sending pump 11, the injector 12, the column 13, the detection Vessel 14, controller 15
Are connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit provided in each unit includes a transmission interface (hereinafter referred to as “transmission I / F”) 22, a flash memory 23, a RAM 24, and the like, in addition to the CPU 21. The flash memory 23 of each unit stores a control program for controlling operations of the unit such as a mechanism. The data processing unit 3 is a small computer such as a so-called personal computer or a dedicated data processing device. As shown in FIG.
1, a transmission I / F 32, a hard disk drive (hereinafter, referred to as "HDD") 33, a floppy disk drive (hereinafter, referred to as "FDD") 34, a RAM 35, an operation unit 36, and the like. When a control program for chromatographic analysis is to be modified or updated, a floppy disk (hereinafter referred to as "FD") in which a new control program is written is prepared and mounted on the FDD 34 of the data processing unit 3. The control program in the FD is stored in the HDD 33 by the operation of the operation unit 36. Therefore, in this analysis system, each control program stored in the HDD 33 is the latest one. The header section contains a version number indicating the revision history of the control program, for example, a numerical value that is incremented each time the control program is updated .. Before the chromatographic analysis, for example, when the system is powered on, According to the procedure of FIG.
Inquiry and update processing of the version number of each unit in the unit are performed. For example, each unit connected to the communication line 4 is assigned a continuous identification number in advance (for example, a liquid feed pump: 1, an injector: 2,...). Inquiry and update processing of the version number is performed. That is, when the power is turned on (step S1), the CPU 2 of the unit having the youngest identification number
1 reads the version (VR) number of the control program stored in the flash memory 23, and transmits this version number together with the identification number of the unit to the data processing unit 3 via the communication line 4 (step S2). The data processing unit 3 receives the version number and the identification number and temporarily stores them in the RAM 35 (step S3).
Then, the CPU 31 stores the version number of the control program corresponding to the identification number stored in the RAM 35 in the HDD 3
3 and compares the version number with the version number stored in the RAM 35 (step S4). If the version number of the HDD 33 is larger, the control program of the unit is not the latest one, so the process proceeds from step S5 to S6, where the control program data stored in the HDD 33 is transferred to the unit via the communication line 4. Send to At this time, an identification number is added and transmitted so that each unit can determine whether or not the control program data is to be received by the unit. The unit having the youngest identification number receives this control program data (step S
7) Rewrite the data in the flash memory 23 (step S8). If the version number on the HDD 33 side is not large in step S5, that is, if the both version numbers match, the control program of the unit is the latest one, so that the update is unnecessary. When the inquiry and update of the control program of the unit are completed, the processing operations of steps S2 to S8 are performed for the unit having the next identification number. Then, the control program is queried and updated sequentially for all units. After this processing is completed, the chromatographic analysis work can be performed. Note that the above processing is not limited to only when the power of the system is turned on. For example, a new control program is written in the HDD 33 of the data processing unit 3 while the power of the analysis unit 1 is turned on. In this case, the above processing may be performed immediately after the control program is written into the HDD 33. In the configuration of FIG. 1, one analyzer 1 is connected to one data processor 3, but a plurality of analyzers 1 are connected to the same communication line 4 connected to one data processor 3. May be connected to each other so that each of the analyzers 1 operates on the latest control program. Further, in larger systems, LAN
Various analysis systems may be connected in parallel to such a network. In such a system, the latest control program is stored in a file server that collectively manages various types of file information, and the version update status of the control program is updated on the file server when each chromatographic analysis system on the network is used. You may make an inquiry. In this way, for example, the chromatographic analysis systems installed at a plurality of remote offices can always be operated with the latest control program.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a chromatographic analysis system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of a control unit in each unit of the analysis unit in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of a data processing unit in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control program inquiry and update process in the chromatographic analysis system according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional general chromatographic analysis system. [Description of Signs] 1 ... Analyzing unit 3 ... Data processing unit 4 ... Communication lines 21, 31 ... CPU 22, 32 ... Transmission interface (transmission I / F) 23 ... Flash memory 33 ... Hard disk drive (HDD)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01N 30/02 G01N 30/24 G01N 30/32 G01N 30/86

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] a) A plurality of rewritable first storage means each of which is capable of retaining information even when main power is cut off, and which performs an analysis operation in cooperation with each other. B) a data processing unit having a second storage means that is constantly updated with the latest information; and c) a communication capable of mutually transmitting information between the plurality of units and the data processing unit. A line between the information stored in the first storage means and the version stored in the second storage means of each of the plurality of units at a predetermined time. And when the two are different, the information stored in the second storage means is transmitted to the unit via the communication line, and the information in the first storage means is rewritten. Graph analysis system.